Tuesday's letters

Published: Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at 1:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, February 11, 2013 at 8:22 p.m.

Coach Dan's legacy

The community of Sarasota suffered a tragic loss on Friday with the untimely passing of our beloved physical education coach, Dan Giguere.

As a teacher, Dan pioneered a skateboarding curriculum at Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences with his physical fitness and skateboarding classes. As an administrator, I saw skateboarding and school as a frightening combination; your head fills with thoughts of liability. But Dan rarely took no for an answer, striving to give an outlet for kids who may be considered "at risk." He knew that he could reach more of them with the promise of more skate time.

He was awarded a generous Tony Hawk grant to increase the availability of resources for our skateboarding students. His classroom, a mixture of skate banners, soft trucks and balance boards, was a welcome respite from the traditional setting. The last time I observed his class he and his students were using the Wii to practice their Zumba. Dan was leading by example as he always did.

Endeavoring to reach more children, Dan started his nonprofit group, Sk8 Skool. He then convinced the city to let him manage Payne Skatepark, where he continued his passions for skating and helping children. This enormous honor bestowed upon our charismatic friend allowed him to further his legacy.

You never ceased to amaze me, my friend Coach Dan, with your big ideas and your tremendous faith that they would work. And they did. Keep skating.

Tara Tahmosh-Newell

Principal, Sarasota School

of Arts and Sciences

Rudolph Addition a plus

In 2007 the Sarasota County School Board signed an agreement with the Sarasota community to "appropriately rehabilitate" the Rudolph Addition to Sarasota High School. The agreement was entered into with a clear understanding of what "appropriate rehabilitation" means.

Now, five years later, the School Board staff is telling the students and their families that the 21st century learning school they have been promised with the renovation of Sarasota High School campus cannot be done if the Rudolph Addition is appropriately rehabilitated.

This is the same complex of buildings it was in 2007, the same footprint, the same amount of square feet. Nothing has changed except the School Board's commitment to the citizens of Sarasota.

What kind of example is the board setting for our young citizens by breaking its promise and throwing away a valuable opportunity?

The rehabilitation of the Rudolph Addition can draw world attention to the school's exceptional learning programs as well as to its extraordinary architecture. Appropriate rehabilitation through preservation of the building's unique architectural features can also magnify the impact of public funds.

Financial resources for the maintenance and future improvement of the building can be earned through additional use, outside the school schedule, for state, regional and national conferences, as well as visitor and tour use. It can and should be a showcase for 21st century learning and an extraordinary cultural attraction for Sarasota.

Deborah G. Dart

Member, Sarasota

Architectural Foundation

Minimizing guns' damage

There are hundreds of human inventions, from bathtubs to plastic bags, that can be lethal, either by accident or misuse. They are in use because their value and convenience in daily life far outweigh the possibility of a fatal result.

Obviously, a ban on cars and buses is inconceivable, but at least licensing, regulation and oversight of drivers and vehicles minimize damage. If there were similar laws for gun use and ownership, damage caused by guns would also be minimized. The sole purpose of a gun is to kill more quickly and easily than knifing, strangling or clubbing. The convenience of assault weapons and larger clips is to kill more people quickly.

Comparing guns to cars is like comparing apples to pumpkins.

Doris S. Jimison

Englewood

No to gun registration

The letter in Sunday's paper offering registration as a "simple" solution to the violence problem in America confuses two terms and incidentally slanders the head of the National Rifle Association.

What I believe the writer intended is support for background checks at least at gun shows. That is not however the same thing as registration.

Registration involves a permanent database of all firearms and owners. This is a concern for gun owners for two reasons.

First is the idea that a database of guns makes it ever so easy for the government to seize them at will, illegally if necessary. People in New Orleans are still waiting for the return of guns taken at gunpoint by police in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, in spite of several court orders to return them. Recently in New York state, a newspaper, exercising its first amendment rights, published the names and addresses of concealed-weapons permit holders in spite of laws forbidding such an invasion of privacy.

That leads to the second reason against such a database. It becomes both a shopping list for thieves and a good indicator where to strike without fear of getting shot!

I believe that the NRA supports background checks for all at gun shows but not registration. In any event, the only place to see what the NRA believes is NRA.org.

Stephen Huth

Sarasota

Repeal 2nd Amendment

When it became apparent that the 18th Amendment (prohibition) was unworkable, it was repealed by the 21st Amendment. The Second Amendment will also be recognized sooner or later as out of date and unworkable, and will be repealed. The sooner the better.

<p>Coach Dan's legacy</p><p>The community of Sarasota suffered a tragic loss on Friday with the untimely passing of our beloved physical education coach, Dan Giguere.</p><p>As a teacher, Dan pioneered a skateboarding curriculum at Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences with his physical fitness and skateboarding classes. As an administrator, I saw skateboarding and school as a frightening combination; your head fills with thoughts of liability. But Dan rarely took no for an answer, striving to give an outlet for kids who may be considered "at risk." He knew that he could reach more of them with the promise of more skate time.</p><p>He was awarded a generous Tony Hawk grant to increase the availability of resources for our skateboarding students. His classroom, a mixture of skate banners, soft trucks and balance boards, was a welcome respite from the traditional setting. The last time I observed his class he and his students were using the Wii to practice their Zumba. Dan was leading by example as he always did.</p><p>Endeavoring to reach more children, Dan started his nonprofit group, Sk8 Skool. He then convinced the city to let him manage Payne Skatepark, where he continued his passions for skating and helping children. This enormous honor bestowed upon our charismatic friend allowed him to further his legacy.</p><p>You never ceased to amaze me, my friend Coach Dan, with your big ideas and your tremendous faith that they would work. And they did. Keep skating.</p><p>Tara Tahmosh-Newell</p><p>Principal, Sarasota School</p><p>of Arts and Sciences</p><p>Rudolph Addition a plus</p><p>In 2007 the Sarasota County School Board signed an agreement with the Sarasota community to "appropriately rehabilitate" the Rudolph Addition to Sarasota High School. The agreement was entered into with a clear understanding of what "appropriate rehabilitation" means.</p><p>Now, five years later, the School Board staff is telling the students and their families that the 21st century learning school they have been promised with the renovation of Sarasota High School campus cannot be done if the Rudolph Addition is appropriately rehabilitated.</p><p>This is the same complex of buildings it was in 2007, the same footprint, the same amount of square feet. Nothing has changed except the School Board's commitment to the citizens of Sarasota.</p><p>What kind of example is the board setting for our young citizens by breaking its promise and throwing away a valuable opportunity?</p><p>The rehabilitation of the Rudolph Addition can draw world attention to the school's exceptional learning programs as well as to its extraordinary architecture. Appropriate rehabilitation through preservation of the building's unique architectural features can also magnify the impact of public funds.</p><p>Financial resources for the maintenance and future improvement of the building can be earned through additional use, outside the school schedule, for state, regional and national conferences, as well as visitor and tour use. It can and should be a showcase for 21st century learning and an extraordinary cultural attraction for Sarasota.</p><p>Deborah G. Dart</p><p>Member, Sarasota</p><p>Architectural Foundation</p><p>Minimizing guns' damage</p><p>There are hundreds of human inventions, from bathtubs to plastic bags, that can be lethal, either by accident or misuse. They are in use because their value and convenience in daily life far outweigh the possibility of a fatal result.</p><p>Obviously, a ban on cars and buses is inconceivable, but at least licensing, regulation and oversight of drivers and vehicles minimize damage. If there were similar laws for gun use and ownership, damage caused by guns would also be minimized. The sole purpose of a gun is to kill more quickly and easily than knifing, strangling or clubbing. The convenience of assault weapons and larger clips is to kill more people quickly.</p><p>Comparing guns to cars is like comparing apples to pumpkins.</p><p>Doris S. Jimison</p><p>Englewood</p><p>No to gun registration</p><p>The letter in Sunday's paper offering registration as a "simple" solution to the violence problem in America confuses two terms and incidentally slanders the head of the National Rifle Association.</p><p>What I believe the writer intended is support for background checks at least at gun shows. That is not however the same thing as registration.</p><p>Registration involves a permanent database of all firearms and owners. This is a concern for gun owners for two reasons.</p><p>First is the idea that a database of guns makes it ever so easy for the government to seize them at will, illegally if necessary. People in New Orleans are still waiting for the return of guns taken at gunpoint by police in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, in spite of several court orders to return them. Recently in New York state, a newspaper, exercising its first amendment rights, published the names and addresses of concealed-weapons permit holders in spite of laws forbidding such an invasion of privacy.</p><p>That leads to the second reason against such a database. It becomes both a shopping list for thieves and a good indicator where to strike without fear of getting shot!</p><p>I believe that the NRA supports background checks for all at gun shows but not registration. In any event, the only place to see what the NRA believes is NRA.org.</p><p>Stephen Huth</p><p>Sarasota</p><p>Repeal 2nd Amendment</p><p>When it became apparent that the 18th Amendment (prohibition) was unworkable, it was repealed by the 21st Amendment. The Second Amendment will also be recognized sooner or later as out of date and unworkable, and will be repealed. The sooner the better.</p><p>Harry W. Quillian</p><p>Bradenton</p>